No harm, no fowl?

Verde Village resident Debbie Crincoli recently had to give up her backyard chickens due to Yavapai County zoning ordinances, and she feels wronged.

Until recently, Crincoli lived with six chickens on a single-family lot on Pleasant Valley Drive. The chickens provided eggs, weed control, pest control, fertilizer — even companionship and entertainment.

All that changed when a neighboring landlord complained about her fowl — Crincoli says in retaliation for not testifying against one of the landlord’s tenants — which caused the county to pay Crincoli a visit and order her to remove her chickens from the property.

Currently the county does not allow farm animals on residential property of fewer than 35,000 square feet, or ¾ of an acre, but the ordinance is only enforced if prompted by a complaint.

Now Crincoli is fighting for her brood.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, March 28, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.